CHAPTER FOUR
DEREK
I'm pretty content right now.
Everything's great! Life's great! I got my homies with me, my baby by my side, everything. I feel good… I live in a nice house with my mom and dad and they make a lot of money. I get all the coolest clothes, toys, electronics, and video games when they are available. It's a real nice life to live. I love it!
Well, sorta. I would like it if my little brother hadn't been killed in a bus crash. I would like it if my slightly older brother wasn't a drug dealer. I would really love if my oldest sister wasn't a hooker and worked at a bar as an escort. Sure, if my mom paid a little more attention to me instead of her alcohol, I'd be very happy. If my dad wasn't cheating on my mom with a younger woman, I'd be a little more cheerful.
Huh. I guess we're not the most perfect family after all.
My name is Derek Olwen. I'm trying to feel happy with what I got. My broken family. Overflowing bank accounts. Cool friends who think I'm someone I'm not. A cute girlfriends.
I guess I'm blessed, though. I've got a roof over my head, food to eat, water to drink, clothes on my back, education, and family. Not saying that they really know I'm there half the time—or care. They're my family though. I guess I love them. I live in a broken home, but we have money so it kinda makes up for it. Money can't buy you a perfect family. Or happiness. It can buy puppies though.
Besides all that drama, I've got it pretty good. My best friend's name is North. He's seriously cool. His dad's in the army, his mom works for this advertisement company thingy and his brother graduated from Boston College! Now that is a cool guy! North is my bro.
And where the hell do I start with my girlfriend? Damn, she's fine. A little ditzy, but damn fine. That body is banging! I'm telling you! You couldn't ask for a hotter chick. Pretty blue eyes and dirty blond hair done up in braids. She even sends me photos. Well, maybe I shouldn't go too much in depth about that.
Sure, maybe Alyssa isn't all that smart, but who needs brains anyway? She's hot, she's cool, she loves me, that's all that matters. Right?
I've got my whole squad with me, I've got my girl, I've got riches, and I've got my broken family. I guess I'm lucky. Maybe I'm happy. I haven't decided.
I sorta just realised something. All the money can't buy away my powers. I'm a fucking Manipulator and all my homies and riches can't change that. It seriously blows being a Manipulator. Part of my freedom has been given away to this secret, the rest of my freedom was taken by my teachers. Freaking school.
I want to tell people who I seriously am. I want to say I'm not home most of the time, I don't hang with my babe, Alyssa, all the time, and, yeah, I don't have the most perfect life. But can I? No. I want to tell people about Manipulators so they aren't thought of as menaces.
I want to be me. I want my life to be perfect. I want a loving family. I want to help Alyssa.
I want out of this hell that holds me.